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Asthma

Diesel fumes are bad for people. But diesel power is good for a lot of heavy-duty work. So, for now, one answer to threading the needle of that little conundrum is to make diesel engines as clean as possible. To that end, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced $9 million worth of grant funds from the DERA National Funding Assistance Program. If the EPA's numbers are correct, that money could be worth something like $117 million in public health benefits.

There's more scientific research on the hazardous impacts of air pollution. Researchers at the Universirty of California, Los Angeles School of Public Health have found that living near traffic pollution during pregnancy and the first year of life might increase the likelihood of developing childhood cancer.

Stick your head too close to an old car's exhaust, and we're willing to be dollars to donuts that you'll start coughing. It turns out that vehicle exhaust isn't just bad for you until the air clears. All that nastiness has a serious long-term effect, and can even cause asthma in children.

Living close to highways has built-in health hazards. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, asthma and carbon monoxide poisoning are two major public health problems caused by air pollution. Now, autism could be added to the list.

In recent times, it sometimes seems as though the emphasis on emissions is mostly related to CO2. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, as this greenhouse gas could cause the planet plenty of problems the longer we go (yes, it's still getting hotter) unless we significantly slash output levels. Still, the impact on emissions human health in the here and now is also important. Especially for the young. We've heard before that there is a link between traffic proximity and asthma and that this

As the good Rev. Lovejoy's wife often pleads, won't someone think of the children? Turns out, green car enthusiasts look out for children's health every day. Biodiesel, as we mentioned last week, has lower emissions than regular diesel. And this helps the children.